Once you become a parent, you start to worry about everything your baby does. The baby smells, poop color, sleeping patterns, and breathing speed will concern you more than you ever imagined. It comes from the fear that you might have done something that would be bad for your baby.
You might have reached this article because you noticed your baby spitting up through his nose. To watch your baby spit up through his nose is a scary experience, and I totally agree with you. A baby will do this while being burped or sometimes for no reason at all. Is it normal for babies to spit up through their noses? Keep reading this article to know the answer and more.
CONTENT
1. Is it normal for babies to spit up through the nose?
2. Why does my baby spit up through his nose?
3. Does spitting up through the nose hurt my baby?
4. How to manage to spit up in babies?
5. When to be concerned about spitting up?
1. Is it normal for babies to spit up through the nose?
The babies spit up frequently due to their developing digestive systems. They need time to become perfect eaters. Until then, he will suck in more air along with the milk. This problem is common for both breastfed and bottle-fed babies. When you burp the baby, excess air will flow out with a bit of milk. Your baby might also spit up clear liquid. Read this article to know why babies spit up clear liquid.
The baby has no control over this action as it is a reflex of the body. The mouth and nose are connected internally. The baby cannot decide from where the spit-up will come out. If the spit-up is more forceful and quicker, it is more likely to come out of the nose. Therefore, it is very normal for babies to spit up through their noses.
2. Why does my baby spit up through his nose?
Improper feeding methods
As I mentioned in the beginning, babies gulp air due to many reasons. This can be a result of improper feeding methods such as weak latch to the breast. When the excess air comes out, it might come out through your baby’s nose with a bit of milk.
Distractions
If you are feeding your baby in a busy room with many distractions, he will try to observe the surroundings while eating. Even though it is not noticeable, eating requires a greater level of attention of the baby. When the baby gets distracted by the surrounding he will eat fast or more than he needs increasing the tendency to spit up. An overfed baby will spit up more and fast. There are high chances that spit up will come through his nose.
Coughing/ Sneezing
The babies will get the ability to control their bodies while coughing and sneezing with age. But, they do not have such control during the earliest days of his life. Thus, spit-up will flow through his nose while coughing or sneezing as the mouth and the nasal passage is closely connected internally.
3. Does spitting up through the nose hurt my baby?
Spitting up is a normal phenomenon in a newborn’s life. It is only a little amount of breastmilk or baby formula coming out of his nose, and it will not hurt your baby in any way. But if your baby spits up in large volumes you have to be concerned as he might not be getting enough nutrients.
4. How to manage to spit up in babies?
Sleeping position
Reducing the spit-up is one good reason to put your baby to sleep on his back. If your baby sleeps on his tummy it will increase the chance of spitting up by putting pressure on his stomach. When a baby is sleeping on his back, it also minimizes the risk of choking on his own spit-up. But, choking on spit-up is very unlikely as it comes out in very small quantities.
Dress light clothes
Do not dress your baby in tight clothes. Tight clothes will put pressure on your baby’s digestive system causing the milk in his tummy to come out. Clothes which are small for your baby anyways will not be comfortable. Hence, it is always good to dress your baby in loose and soft clothes.
Burp
The babies cannot fight the gas collecting in their digestive system alone. You need to help them to burp until they are grown up. Burping is an art and you will have to practice it for some time. Read this article to know how and how long you should burp them.
Keep the baby upright
Position your baby in a more straight posture while feeding. Do not lay him down just after a feeding. Instead, maintain the upright position for few minutes until milk flows into the stomach. It will reduce the possibility of milk flowing out.
Avoid distractions
Feed your baby in a room with no distractions. Have an assigned place to feed your baby. This can be his room or somewhere else with no loud noises or colors. When the surrounding is familiar he will not be distracted and will focus on eating.
Feeding on time
Your baby will eat fast and more than he needs if he is over-hungry. Do not wait till he gets to this point of his hunger. Maintain a schedule or feed him when the first cues of hunger appear.
Choose the right nipple
If your baby is bottle-fed, choose the right nipple for your baby. When the hole of the nipple is too large, milk will flow out too fast and too easily. It will make your baby eat more than he needs that will eventually increase the chances of spitting up.
5. When to be concerned about spitting up?
- The baby is more than twelve months old and is still spitting up frequently. Read this article to know at what age spitting up shold fade away.
- The baby chokes on his own spit-up
- The spitting up through has become regular.
- The baby spits up in colors or with blood.
- The spit-up is high in volume, and the baby is not gaining weight
- The baby has problems sucking or swallowing milk.
- Every spit-up is followed by a cry from your baby.
If one or more of these symptoms are observed in your baby, please consult your pediatrician immediately.
